4.17 - The End of Time

Synopsis

Part One
The Doctor learns from the psychic alien Ood that his archnemesis the Master (John Simm) will shortly return, heralding "the end of Time itself". On present day Earth, a cult loyal to the Master attempt to resurrect him; the Master's ex-wife, Lucy Saxon (Alexandra Moen) sabotages the ceremony however, and the Master is brought back suffering from constant hunger, also having gained superhuman strength and speed along with energy projection from his constantly expending energy. The Doctor attempts to trace the Master, on Christmas Eve, and encounters his friend Wilfred Mott (Bernard Cribbins), to whom the Doctor explains a prophecy that he is to die soon. The Doctor tracks the Master to wastelands outside of London, where the Master subdues him and forces him to listen to the sound of drums in his head. The Doctor discovers that the sound is not a symptom of the Master's insanity but something implanted in him from outside. But before the Doctor can learn more, the Master is abducted by troops and placed in the custody of billionaire Joshua Naismith (David Harewood).
Wilfred is repeatedly warned by an apparitional woman in white (Claire Bloom) to arm himself to protect the Doctor before joining him in the TARDIS. They travel to the Naismith estate where they discover Naismith is in possession of an alien "Immortality Gate" and has enlisted the Master to fix its programming. Aliens of the Vincocci species reveal themselves and attempt to explain that the device is a simple medical device from their homeworld, but are unsuccessful. The Master ultimately uses the device to replace all of humankind with his DNA, creating a 'Master Race' where everyone looks like the Master; exceptions to this are Wilf, who is shielded from its effects, and Wilf's granddaughter Donna (Catherine Tate), a former companion of the Doctor who acquired Time Lord biological traits in an earlier adventure. The Master and his doppelgangers taunt the Doctor, who can only look on in horror.
Far across the Universe, the episode's narrator (Timothy Dalton) remarks that the Master's removal of humanity is only the beginning of far greater events; the narrator is revealed to be the Lord President of the Time Lordsthe Doctor and Master's species who addresses a vast chamber full of other Time Lords, and announces that it is "the day the Time Lords returned. For Gallifrey! For victory! For the end of Time itself!"

Part Two
The Doctor and Wilfred are rescued from the Master by the Vinvocci, taking refuge on their orbiting ship. Meanwhile, the Time Lord President receives a prophecy about the future after the Time War, and so schemes to use the Master to one day escape. They are able to put a signal in the young Master's head as a small child, creating the drum beat he has heard all his life. When the Master clones himself billions of times, the Time Lord President also sends a "whitepoint star" from their home planet Gallifrey to the Master in the present day to strengthen the connection between present-day Earth and Gallifrey, which presently is "timelocked" in the middle of a Time War, shortly before its destruction, a fate which it is otherwise unable to escape. Gallifrey materialises above Earth, and all the other horrors of the Time War are likely to follow. The Doctor, armed with Wilfred's gun, breaks into the room from above, but vacillates over whether to kill the Master or the President in order to sever the link; he eventually spots the whitepoint star and shoots it instead. As he does this, he catches sight of and recognises the woman in white from earlier, and is saddened. As the Time Lords are drawn back into the Time Lock, the Presidentwhom the Doctor names, at the last minute, as Rassilonattempts to kill the Doctor, but the Master intervenes, sacrificing himself in an act of revenge against Rassilon. In a flash of light, the Time Lords, the Master, and Gallifrey all disappear. Taking a moment to realise his victory, the Doctor hears four knocks, the sound which he has been told will precede his death. He finds Wilfred, having returned to help the Doctor, still trapped in the Gate's isolation chamber that will be flooded with radiation due to the Master's modifications; only the self-sacrifice of another will free him. The Doctor releases Wilfred, collapsing in agony as he receives a massive dose of radiation. Although he survives initially as his body absorbs the radiation, the healing of the Doctor's wounds shows his regeneration process has begun, which means he will soon change appearance and personality.
After taking Wilfred home, the Doctor somberly visits past companions and acquaintances. Companions Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) and Mickey Smith (Noel Clarke) have married and are working as freelance alien hunters; the Doctor saves them from a Sontaran sniper. The Doctor rescues Luke Smith (Tommy Knight) from an oncoming car, and silently acknowledges Luke's mother, former companion Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen). At an extraterrestrial bar, the Doctor passes a note to a despondent Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), encouraging him to start a conversation with Midshipman Alonso Frame (Russel Tovey), seated next to him. The Doctor appears at a book-signing by Verity Newman (Jessica Hynes), the great-granddaughter of Joan Redfern (Hynes), from the episodes "Human Nature" and "The Family of Blood", and asks whether Joan was happy. Newman's book, A Journal of Impossible Things, is based on Joan's diaries, concerning her earlier love affair with the Doctor. He then attends Donna's wedding, and gives her a winning lottery ticket bought with money borrowed from Donna's deceased father to assure their financial future. Finally, the Doctor visits Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), on New Year's Day 2005, the year when she meets him as the Ninth Doctor. He tells her she will have "a great year". As the Doctor struggles towards the TARDIS, Ood Sigma (Paul Kasey) appears before the Doctor, and tells him the universe will sing him to sleep and that "this song is ending, but the story never ends"; a diegetic symphony then accompanies the Doctor as he regenerates. The Doctor says "I don't want to go", and the violent energy his body releases as he transforms shatters the TARDIS windows and sets the console room ablaze. With his regeneration complete, the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) inspects his new body before realizing that the TARDIS is hurtling back to Earth.

This is clearly a bad story. Episode one is good but when we come to episode two it became quite irritating. This is the worst regeneration I've ever seen. It enter in my great list of inutile stories (with Nekromanteia and Scaredy cat).

The Doctor is arrogant and he don't want to die. I can understand the second point but why is he so arrogant ? The sixth Doctor was arrogant but not like that ! Tennant is perhaps my least favorite Doctor because he never do anything interesting. Here, he just don't want to die. And guess how he die ? By radiation ! Very original ! We can see that Davies had lost all his ideas and watched Planet of the Spiders as an inspiration. So forget the Doctor he is bad.

Wilfried, for me he is a main companion so he is the principal companion in this story. I think he is the only good point here. He's funny, develloped and solid. But he's a bit stupid to go into the machine only to save one of the bad and useless guy of the Naismith team.

The Master of Simm is the worst Master to. Never, never in the original serie he was so mad and stupid. The Master is cold and calculating, not a sort of child who laugh every five seconds and had stupid ideas.

Rassilon is OK this time, better than in the Five Doctor. He's the real ennemy here but he isn't very strong as a character. His characterisation is only : he want to survive so he is bad.

Forget about Donna, she didn't do anything in the story.

Naismith is just here to allow the introdution of the Master and the Time Lords, the two green mens are forgettable and I will not talk about the stupid crowd of old companion we see at the end because they were useless ! It take 15 minutes for the Doctor to visit all his others companions. 15 MINUTES of 'I'm going to die so I say good bye'. Purely useless because he didn't visit one or two companions, no he visit everyone of them: Martah and Mickey, Rose, Jack, Sarah Jane, and even Joan Redfern's daugther.

And the final 'I don't want to go' didn't make me cry like a fanboy. No I was just 'God ! At last it end' ! So don't watch this episode because it was horrible. One of the worst of the serie.

There has never been a harder regeneration story than The End of Time. Whilst every regeneration story has to provide a fitting send-off for its departing Doctor, not only did this one have to write out one of the most popular Doctors of all time but it also had the job of creating a fond farewell for what was considered by many as a golden era of the show. Russell T Davies had a gigantic job ahead of him and it is testament to his writing ability that he managed to write something that seems like a strong send-off for both David Tennant's Doctor and his era of the show.

The End of Time's two episodes may resemble one full story but it can be argued both tell completely different narratives. Whilst The End of Time Part One is more focused on Joshua Naismith's (David Harewood) plan to give his daughter Abigail (Tracy Ifeachor) the 'gift' of immortality with help from the Master (John Simm) and stolen Torchwood technology called 'the Immortality Gate', The End of Time Part Two shifts the focus onto the Time Lords' (lead by Timothy Dalton's Rassilon) return and their plan to achieve it via the drums in the Master's head and the Three-Point Star. It is clever the way Russell T Davies splits the narrative up in this way as it prevents a problem that can occur in some two-part stories, where the first part is nothing more than a prequel to the events of part two.

There are some obvious plot holes in the story, such as how the Master gains his weird blue beam powers, but who cares when it's this much fun? The End of Time is basically like your Summer movie blockbuster: it's made to be entertaining and not to be a story that's picked apart. As much as those of us in the Whovian fandom like to think otherwise, Doctor Who isn't Shakespeare or Dickens. It isn't going to be analysed by English professors years into the future. It's just intended to be Saturday primetime fun around the sofa. And The End of Time IS fun. Who cares why the Master's powers aren't explained? Do we need an explanation for anything? Why can't we just enjoy Doctor Who like we enjoy a movie blockbuster at the cinema? Picking apart the plot holes is sometimes what spoils the fun of simply relaxing and watching a piece of television.

Russell T Davies was clearly having a lively time writing this story and it is clear that he has taken inspiration from the Marvel films. The 10th Doctor's initial confrontation with the Master in the wasteland could easily have been something from Thor: in this case, with the Doctor (David Tennant) as Thor and the Master being the nearest equivalent to Loki. It is an extremely well-directed and choreographed stand-off that has a certain gravitas to it. There really couldn't have been a better choice to direct David Tennant's final story than Euros Lyn. He has directed some of the show's best episodes including Silence In The Library (which he won the BAFTA Cymru award for) and The Girl In The Fireplace. Euros Lyn clearly knows exactly how to direct Doctor Who and the combination of Russell T Davies and Euros works perfectly.

Talking of well-directed scenes, the scene where the Doctor confronts Rassilon with a gun is in my opinion one of Doctor Who's most iconic scenes. It is full of drama and tension; it is so expertly written by Russell T Davies that as the audience you literally question whether the Doctor will shoot either the Master or Rassilon dead despite this incarnation's hatred of guns. It is definitely one of the show's most powerful scenes and a great example of one where the Doctor's morality is questioned: as Rassilon puts it, will the 10th Doctor's last act before 'death' be murder? Will he really go that far? Russell T Davies doesn't stray from asking powerful questions like this during a show kids will be watching and Doctor Who is all the better for it.

Many complain about the 'farewell tour' (a scene where the Doctor visits his companions and the great-granddaughter of past love interest Joan Redfern (Jessica Hynes) during his time in the TARDIS) but personally I didn't mind it. It felt like a nice way to celebrate the end of Doctor Who's golden era and the 10th Doctor's regeneration story wouldn't have felt right without Captain Jack (John Barrowman) appearing, given how prominent he had been during David Tennant's run. Nothing in the farewell tour detracts in any shape or form from the narrative anyway; it doesn't leave any kind of impact on the story and I am glad for its inclusion. The Russell T Davies era deserved this kind of celebration; the show may never return to the excellent ratings the RTD era produced, especially with catch-up services becoming the way many now watch television.

Without a doubt The End of Time for me features the best regeneration scene Doctor Who has ever seen. The way David Tennant utters the line 'I don't want to go' is utterly heart-breaking and I dare anyone to try and watch it without shedding a few tears. If this were a movie, David Tennant would have been nominated for a 'Best Actor' Oscar purely for this moment; it is comparable, if not better than Anne Hathaway's I Dreamed A Dream or Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. David Tennant without a doubt gives his best performance as the 10th Doctor in this story and you feel the pain this incarnation is going through when he wants to stick with his current incarnation a bit longer.

The emotion is only heightened with Murray Gold's brilliant score. Vale Decem is the best piece of music beside the theme tune that has ever been composed for Doctor Who and again, had this been a film I suspect it would have been nominated for an Oscar. It would certainly have deserved an Oscar anyway. 'Vale Decem' literally translates in latin to 'Farewell Ten' and that's exactly what it feels like: a fond farewell. A sad goodbye. This is the end but the moment has been prepared for. I enjoyed this piece of music so much that I bought the television soundtrack and the Specials soundtrack still remains the only Doctor Who orchestra music I own.

I can't talk about the regeneration without mentioning Matt Smith. Matt Smith was so great in his first appearance at the end of the regeneration sequence that he sold me from the word 'legs'. He oozes a natural eccentricity that feels suitably Doctor-ish and helps to establish just who this Doctor is. Unlike Peter Capaldi's (who I think is a great Doctor) debut in Time of the Doctor, you feel like you know this Doctor right from the off and suddenly he no longer seems too young (as many had complained at the time). Sure, he has a youthful energy about him but he seems like the same ancient Time Lord we know and love. It's definitely the best regeneration introduction of a new Doctor the show has ever and will ever see. Matt Smith simply was the Doctor right from the start.

One person who threatens to steal the show is Bernard Cribbins. Bernard Cribbins is extremely loveable as Donna's grandfather Wilfred Mott and it is a shame he never got a complete series in the TARDIS alongside the 10th Doctor. I love his grandfatherly relationship with this incarnation of the Doctor and could easily watch thirteen episodes of it. It's a shame that the show seems to think it always needs to introduce a young female companion; why can't we have an old gentleman for a change? If Big Finish could feature Maggie Stables as Evelyn Smythe as a companion before her untimely death, then why can't the TV series have Bernard Cribbins join the Doctor in the TARDIS? It feels like a massive missed opportunity that Russell T Davies never thought to include Wilf as companion for an entire series; hopefully one day he can come back and travel with a future Doctor.

The End of Time also features some of the best special effects from the VFX production company of the time 'The Mill'. The Master's blue skeleton skull and the Immortality Gate for example would not look out of place in a Hollywood movie. They are spectacular special effects and add to the feeling that The End of Time was perhaps made on a bigger budget than usual. For me it took until 2013's Day of the Doctor to top the special effects in this story, which is a testament to the production crew of 2009 that they made something with effects that look better than those in stories ranging from 2010-2013.

Overall, The End of Time is a fantastic send-off for both David Tennant and Russell T Davies. It feels like a big-budget Hollywood movie and is therefore great fun to watch, even if some would point out various plot holes present in the story. David Tennant gives a performance that would be worthy of an Oscar had this story been a big Hollywood production and Euros Lyn does an amazing job of directing one of the show's most epic and action-packed finales. This story is also notable for featuring some of Doctor Who's best special effects. If you've never watched Doctor Who but like the Marvel movies, then this would likely be a good starting point for you. Otherwise I would probably start from an earlier episode in the RTD Era like Rose or The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit. The End of Time is definitely more than worth your time though; who cares about plot holes when the story is this much fun?

I quite like this story, although the plot was a bit silly and the Master's new powers are completely out of the blue.
We finally get some context about the Time War and what pushed the Doctor to end it all in the end. There are also some great emotional moments with Wilf and the Doctor. Overall I felt it was a fitting end to David Tennant's era.

I have a bit of a problem with the regeneration though. I can't help but compare it to the Fifth's, as both Doctors sacrifice for their companion. However, whereas the Fifth didn't even think about it, the Tenth was really a whiny baby and it seems even considered letting Wilf die. It's made even worse by the fact that Five didn't even know if he would regenerate.

I'm leaving the acting/ performances, plot, soundscape/ambience and replay value unticked as they're not the aspects of the story I disliked. Firstly the plot is easily one of the worst things to ever stem from the doctor who logo, the acting from the cast is okay, but the script is appalling, the dialogue is tripe, Wilf is good in this one. Everything looks nice. however nothing else is that good. Donna was wasted, 2 hours and 15 minutes of boredom. 2 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES??? REALLY!!?? The regenration itself is 20 minutes of self indulgent boring crybaby crap and I hated how he left a bitter taste in the mouths of audience welcoming the 11th doctor. Matt Smith is fantastic but all the fangirls hate him because he's not David Tennant and he's not crying.... ehrhhh

The Master is at his worst. (beside when it's michelle gomez) as he's given flying powers and lighting like the emperor from star wars for no reason. He turns into a skeleton and eats people because... reason... it has nothing to do with the plot, it's just there. The Time Lords are underused like mad and are really boring. I hated around 90% of the episode. The reason why it's a one/ten not a 0. is because at some points David Tennant shines through the terrible script and there are a few parts where the doctor shows glimpses of a darker side to himself which I liked.. however he's really unlikable all around and I get mad whenever I see how much praise his regeneration gets. It's not a good one. There's a character who appears randomly and we're told OUTSIDE OF THE STORY that it's the doctors mother.. but inside of the story, it means nothing. She's the biggest plot device and breaks the fourth wall. The story is hilariously bad.